Better
by laloga
Summary: In order to investigate a deadly new type of droid, Chopper gets sent on a mission with a small squad and their Jedi general. Based in the world of reulte's "Scars" and featuring OCs.
1. Chapter 1

**Better**

_This fic was inspired by **reulte's** fantastic, ongoing work, _Scars_, in which the character of Chopper has been fleshed out to an amazing degree. It's one of my favorite stories, and I highly recommend that you take a look. _

_For all intents and purposes, _Better_ is set somewhere between chapters 19 and 21 of _Scars_, and a few months after the events of _Not Fooling Anyone_ in my own timeline; not exactly sure how well the two intersect, so this might be AU. _

_Thank you, **reulte** for letting me "play" with your version of Chopper! _

**One**

According to Fives, the reason that everyone was in such a fervor was because General Halcyon's squad was planning a rendezvous with the _Resolute_; however, Chopper really hadn't been paying attention to much since he'd gotten a hold of the latest helmet vids of the IG-100 MagnaGuards. Even seated between his bunk-mates in the mess, he was only peripherally aware of their discussion.

"I heard that she's _involved _with the men in her squad," Fives was saying as he and Echo leaned across Chopper, their voices blending into the low murmur that filled the room. The speculation was accompanied by the lift of Fives' brow and a sly grin, but Echo only looked thoughtful.

"Where'd you hear that?"

Still focused on his datapad, Chopper frowned. The MagnaGuards were a relatively new threat, though they'd already been christened "Jedi Killers," and from what he could make out from the vids, the nickname did not come without reason. _Unparalleled reflexes. Lightsaber-resistant staffs. And it looks like they have the capacity to learn. _Indeed, from the vids he'd seen – far too few for him to comfortably predict just how much of a threat these machines were – the droids seemed to possess highly-advanced combat algorithms that allowed them to adapt to any situation. Chopper's eyes narrowed as he watched the replay again and again.

Fives glanced around as if they were the only ones discussing the matter. "Buddy in the 212th worked with Shadow Squad a couple of months ago. Said that there was something a little too _familiar _about the way that General Halcyon interacted with her men...especially the captain."

Chopper shook his head as he paused the vid and studied the blurred image of the Magna. _Is that duranium armor? It must be, for them to be so resilient. _

"That's just gossip, Fives," Echo replied with a shake of his head. "You shouldn't go on like that about a Jedi."

His brother shrugged and looked at Chopper, who was still engrossed in his datapad. "You haven't heard anything, have you?"

At first Chopper didn't realize that Fives was speaking to him; after a moment he lifted his gaze and blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to looking at something that wasn't a tiny screen. His head tilted in thought before it shook. "This is the first I've heard of anything."

It was true; no one gossiped with Chopper. About him, most certainly, but not _with_ him. Fives and Echo were the first. The thought occurred to him that he didn't mind either way, not really, but it was...nice to be included. In the _with _as opposed to the _about_. "And Echo's right," he added as he looked back down at the 'pad. "You shouldn't say those things about a Jedi. It's disrespectful." Of course, he wasn't thinking about a general – rather a certain commander – but the idea was the same, anyway.

Fives sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Well, _I'm_ interested. And I'll bet that the two of you are as well."

Echo rolled his eyes but made no response and Chopper was already lost to the datapad.

* * *

><p>Kalinda Halcyon regarded the holographic forms of Anakin Skywalker, Padawan Ahsoka, and Captain Rex with nothing short of relief. "As long as your 'freshers are working, I'll be happy."<p>

Anakin gave her a wry grin. "The _Wayfarer's _acting up again, huh?"

"And then some." With a sigh, Kali glanced at the members of her squad, who were currently huddled around the tiny room with an assortment of plungers and dripping towels. Crest and Traxis were arguing about something while Weave was attempting to remove a bit of pipe; they were all soaking wet and none-too-happy. Beside her, Captain Stonewall was silent but she could tell that he was also annoyed with their predicament. "It's just getting too much...use, I guess," she said. "I mean, six adults...one 'fresher...it's really not a good equation."

Ahsoka wrinkled her nose. "I understand how you feel, Master Halcyon. Trust me."

"Well, we'll be glad to help you, Kalinda," Anakin added. "And while you're here I can take a look at those dampers you mentioned." He sounded pleased at the prospect of getting to work on the little transport and Kali smiled to herself.

_Chosen One or not, he's still that little boy from Tatooine who likes to play with ships. _"That would be a huge help."

As she was about to end the transmission, Stone gave her a look and raised his brow. _Aren't you forgetting something? _Since they had discovered that they could communicate through the Force, he often took full advantage of the fact, particularly when it came to reminding her of things that she should not have forgotten in the first place.

The dark-haired Jedi frowned. "Also...we've gotten wind of some new droids being tested in a nearby system. Magna...something."

"MagnaGuards." Stonewall's voice was even but she could tell that he was amused.

She sighed again. _After a while, they all look the same to me_. "Right. MagnaGuards. The Council's asked us to look into it. I heard that you've encountered them a few times?"

Anakin's shoulders lifted in an easy shrug. "Yeah. They weren't easy, but they went down eventually, right Snips?" He grinned at his Padawan, who shook her head as she replied, her _lekku _swaying with the motion.

"If by e_ventually _you mean after some seriously difficult combat, then yes." At this, Captain Rex's mouth twitched in a grin, but he looked thoughtful as well. Ahsoka tilted her head and regarded the other Jedi. "If you have a chance, Master Halcyon, I'd like to learn the shielding-technique you've been working on. Rex mentioned that it saved him when we went on that mission to Japarran a few months ago."

"If we have time, I'd be glad to," Kali replied. "It's come in pretty handy, right Stone?"

Stonewall stood at parade-rest beside her; at her words, his brow lifted but he only nodded once, and Kalinda tried not to roll her eyes at his formality. _Can't blame him, I suppose. We have to be discreet for a number of reasons. _So she glanced back at the others. "We'll see you tomorrow. Thanks again."

"Sure thing, Kalinda." Anakin gave her a casual salute before the transmission ended.

A hiss of water, followed by a sputtering sound came from the direction of the 'fresher, immediately followed by Crest's voice. "_Kriffing_ son of a _shabla _nerf-herder_!"_

"Watch your language, Crest," Kali called out. "We're about to be in polite company, you know." She smiled when the clone captain reached for her hand and smoothed a strand of hair from her face.

Weave's voice rose from the direction of the 'fresher. "How much longer did you say...?" She could hear Milo and Traxis muttering as well, followed by more splashing sounds. Ignoring the noises, Kalinda put her arms around the captain's waist.

"You think the 501st is polite company?" Stone asked as he smiled down at her.

She shrugged and leaned up to kiss him. "More so than us, from what I hear."

* * *

><p>Shadow Squad arrived on the <em>Resolute <em>at 0400 the next day, which was far too early to account for the surge of clones that attempted to meet them in the hangar. Apparently everyone had decided to get in some early drills, and Chopper heard via Fives that Captain Rex had to order most of the sightseers out of the area.

"But I got a look before she went off with the other Jedi." Fives was sitting at the edge of his bunk, his hands lifting in the manner they often did when he was excited.

It was too early even for the mess, so Echo was cleaning his armor to its customary sheen; however, his interest was palpable. "And?"

Fives leaned forward, nodding. "She's pretty. _Real _pretty."

"Not like the commander, I'll wager," Echo replied at once.

His brother shrugged. "She's a little more...grown-up than the commander, Echo. If you get my drift." He made a curving motion with his hands to indicate what he meant.

From his own bunk, Chopper continued to consider the problem of the MagnaGuards, which was a disturbing one. _No one really lasts too long against them except a Jedi...and even then. _He winced. Some of the helmet vids had been intense, to say the least. _But everything has a weakness. I know if I could just get a closer look, I might be able to figure out theirs. _He was peripherally aware of his bunk-mates' conversation, but again, felt no interest in what they were saying until...

"So why are they here, anyway? Does anyone know?"

Fives' tone took on the resonance of someone with valuable intel that he's been dying to share. "They're special-ops, you know. Seeking out foundries, collecting intelligence, and studying new Seppie weapons..." His eyes slid to Chopper. "Like the MagnaGuards you're so twisted up about."

At this, Chopper glanced up from the 'pad. "The Magnas? That's what General Halcyon's squad is looking into?"

"That's the rumor going around," Fives replied, leaning back on his hands. Engrossed in his own thoughts, Chopper didn't see his bunk-mates shoot each other knowing looks, and eventually his eyes fell back to the datapad.

* * *

><p>Finally aboard the <em>Resoulute,<em>Kalinda found that her mood had increased exponentially once she was clean, though she now realized how hungry she was. While she was slipping on her boots, her comm chirruped. "Stone?"

His steady form regarded her through the hologram. "We're going to be a bit longer than I thought. Do you want to just meet back at the ship a few hours?"

As she was about to reply, her stomach let out a gurgle and Kalinda sighed. _First a meeting with Anakin and Ahsoka, then a meeting with Anakin and the Admiral, _then _transmission to the Jedi Temple...no wonder I'm starving. Haven't had two seconds to eat. _She nodded. "Sounds good. You guys got showers and food, though, right?"

"We're clean and fed," he replied with a smile. "Just in time for some friendly sparring. Apparently Traxis has some old buddies who can't wait to hear about his recent adventures." Though he didn't say as much, she thought she could discern his happiness at being in the company of so many other clones; the five members of her squad got along well enough – most of the time – but she'd learned that most clones enjoyed being surrounded by lots of brothers upon occasion.

So she nodded and gave him a salute. "Enjoy yourself, Stone. I'll be thinking about you." Even as she said the words she imagined doing something with him that wasn't professional in the least, and she figured he picked up on her thought when his grin broadened.

"Same here." He paused, then his voice dropped in pitch. "Kali." The transmission ended and she gave a quiet sigh that was overwhelmed by another snarl of her stomach; ensuring that she had her datapad and that her damp braid was at least neat, she slipped out of the cabin and made her way to the mess.

* * *

><p>To an outsider, the mess hall was the picture of dignified professionalism as clone troopers filed in, collected trays of food and quietly took their seats. There was no more talking than usual, only a few trickles of conversation that stuck out a bit louder than the rest; no one made any indication that they were staring at the Jedi Knight who was seated alone in the far corner of the room, picking over a plate of scrambled nuna eggs and consulting a datapad.<p>

But Chopper knew better.

First of all, she was at his table. Well, he didn't _own _the table, but it was widely understood that he preferred to sit there, and ever since that business with Kev, most of the others did not begrudge Chopper his preferences. If Fives or Echo were with him he'd sit where they wanted to, but even they would acquiesce if he chose to sit at that particular table. Even the commander had joined him there, once or twice.

For a moment he stood with his tray and surveyed the room, considering his next move. Fives and Echo were behind him, finishing up in line and he knew that they – Fives at least, though Echo would follow his brother's lead – would want to sit by the Jedi. Not that they actually _would, _but they would want to. At the very least, the idea would be bandied around.

Chopper decided that he didn't really want to sit by her.

Sometimes he felt that the scars that pitted and ribboned his flesh were living things that had their own ideas about what he should do, where and how and _why_ he should do it. Sometimes they wore _him, _though he was starting to understand it should be the other way around. At this point, everyone in this room – on the ship, in fact – had seen his scars and didn't seem to care so much, even the commander.

But that didn't mean that he was one hundred percent _okay _with having a new female, and a Jedi at that, looking at him and flinching away, even if just for a second. So he stood in the mess and tried to find another table.

"What're you doing?" Fives was beside him. "Let's just go." He nodded to the table and Chopper sighed.

Echo was there as well. "It'll be fine, Chopper, like it always is. Look, she's not even paying attention." It was true; General Halcyon's gaze had not wavered from her datapad even though she had to realize that she was the subject of probably every conversation in the room.

It made Chopper wonder if the rumors were true, after all. _She's obviously comfortable with clones. But either way, she doesn't seem to care. _He didn't know what to make of that, so he shrugged it off and resigned himself to following in Fives' wake as they headed for the table.

When they reached the Jedi, Fives straightened his shoulders and saluted her, one hand balancing the meal tray. "General Halcyon." He waited for her to acknowledge him before continuing; she looked up, met his eyes and gave a small smile. "Sir. We hate to intrude, but the mess is a bit crowded at the moment. May we share your table, sir?"

She looked around with the air of someone who was stepping from a dark room into bright sunshine; after a moment she smiled again and gestured to the table. "Sure...?"

"Fives, sir," he said, taking the seat beside her. "That's Echo and Chopper." Echo sat on Fives' other side, which left Chopper to either sit at the far end, beside Echo – which could be perceived as a snub – or directly across from her, which would give her a clear view of his scars. It was not a pleasant debate and he chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment before she blinked up at him, then nodded to the seat across from her as though it were perfectly normal for clones to sit with Jedi so casually.

He sat but kept his eyes down as he ate.

The Jedi seemed not to notice, instead setting her 'pad down and regarding the others with interest. "Nice to meet you guys. Echo...how did you get that hand-print on your armor?"

From here, his bunk-mates launched into an animated discussion of the Rishi moon incident, which Chopper had heard many times. After a few minutes he managed to study the new general without seeming to; he noted how she seemed entranced by the story, and the way that her face fell when they mentioned the deaths of their brothers. _She looks genuinely sad about it. _The expression reminded him of one he'd seen on Commander Tano's face after a particularly grueling battle.

As Fives had said, she was older than their commander; a fully-grown Human woman, with dark hair that she wore in a braid – still damp from a shower, he supposed – and dark eyes which held that Jedi _otherness_ that some clones found unsettling. She did not appear to miss much, which confused him even more. _If that's the case, and she knows that they're all talking about her, why does she eat in here? _In fact, she seemed almost...easy with the others in a way that indicated she had spent many, many hours in the company of clones. He even heard a sprinkle of Mando'a in her conversation, which delighted Fives and Echo, and intrigued him further.

Finally her comm chirped and she glanced down with a start, speaking into it with hesitation. "How long has it been?"

The image of a clone captain had appeared at her wrist; the officer's reply was amused. "Not long, General. We've only been waiting about twenty minutes."

"Sorry, Stone. I'll be there in a second. Anakin said that he and Rex would be down after their vid meeting with Obi-Wan and Cody...?" Her voice held a question and the captain shook his head.

"They haven't arrived, so you're not late...yet."

She grinned. "Great. Thanks, Captain."

"Anytime, _sir_."

Had Chopper been a man of more speculation, he would have thought that there may have been an air of impropriety to the conversation, but aside from being casual, it wasn't anything out of line. However, he could see that Fives' brow had lifted and Echo was purposefully looking down at his plate; clearly, they thought otherwise.

The general sighed and gathered her datapad and tray. "It was nice meeting you guys," she said to Fives and Echo, who rose in a hasty salute that Chopper followed after a moment. But she startled him when she nodded to his empty tray. "Want me to take it for you?" Dark eyes fell on his face but she made no indication that she'd even noticed the scars.

He wasn't sure which part of the last ten seconds he was more astonished by: the fact that she looked _directly_ at his scars and had no reaction, or the fact that a Jedi Knight and General was offering to clean up the remnants of his breakfast. His mouth opened but no sound came out.

However she only smiled and reached for the empty tray anyway. As she did so, her datapad clattered out of her grip and knocked his half-empty cup of caf all over his 'pad, the screen of which flickered and died. For a moment he simply looked at it with bewilderment, half expecting it to come back to life. When it didn't, he felt a thrill of regret and – if he was honest – irritation. _Hours and hours of research...gone. _

The room had only fallen silent for an instant, but it was long enough for him to realize that everyone had noted the incident; hundreds of identical eyes moved from him to the Jedi to the dead little 'pad. But she appeared not to notice anything but the accident; she gave a soft curse and bent to retrieve the damaged object, looking up at him in chagrin as she held it up. They both watched brown caf drip from the edges to spatter across the table. "All your work...I'm so sorry, Chopper."

Chopper didn't know what kind of reaction was acceptable in this circumstance, because he _was_ annoyed with her, but felt that it would be disrespectful to show. So he shook his head and kept his eyes fixed on the dead datapad, thinking of the vids he'd assembled. _It took me days to collect all those..._He tried to keep his thoughts off of his face but she was a Jedi after all.

Before he knew what was happening there was a hand on his arm; she had stepped around the table and stood before him. "I'll make it up to you," she said in a firm voice, causing him to meet her eyes more out of surprise than anything else. "I promise. What was on it?"

"Droid research." His voice was a whisper but she nodded as if he'd spoken in a normal tone.

"Can you be any more specific?"

Fives and Echo had watched the exchange silently until now, when Fives spoke up. "Those new droids...the Magna-ones...or something. Right, Chopper?"

Chopper nodded but said nothing. Her hand was still on his arm and he wasn't sure if his voice would work. The Jedi looked thoughtful before she lifted her hand and regarded him with a soft smile. "MagnaDroids?"

"Guards." He corrected her absently and Echo winced.

But she didn't seem to care. "Right. I'll be in contact." With that she leaned to collect his tray – carefully – before slipping out of the mess and leaving Chopper in a quiet state of chaos.

* * *

><p><em>This is a shorter fic, totaling five chapters. I plan to keep a weekly update schedule (every Wednesday), so you should add <em>Better_ (or me) to your alert list...don't want to miss what happens next, do you? :P_

_Reviews, comments and speculations are all welcome and encouraged! Thanks for reading._


	2. Chapter 2

**Two**

While Anakin and Weave worked on the alluvial dampers, Kali and Stonewall were seated across from Ahsoka and Captain Rex on the _Wayfarer, _holding what – she imagined – was a rather informal briefing on Shadow Squad's upcoming mission. The rest of her men were gathered around her and Stonewall at parade-rest, and she could feel their tension at being in the presence of the most powerful Jedi in existence, despite the fact that he was smudged with grease and smelled like coolant.

Had she not known him since he was Obi-Wan's Padawan, Kali might have felt the same way. As it was, she was acutely aware of the persistent limp in her left knee when she was around other Jedi like Anakin: Jedi who were whole and undamaged, Jedi who did not have to rely on blasters to support their own lack of lightsaber skills.

With a small shake of her head, Kali pushed the thought from her mind and glanced from Rex to the Togruta Padawan, both of whom looked hesitant at her next words. "It's not a bad idea, is it?" she asked with a frown. "I mean, he needs information, we're going to retrieve said information...why are you both looking at me like that?"

Before Ahsoka or Rex could reply, Anakin's voice sounded from the engine compartment. "Chopper's one of my best men, but he has...a past." There was a clanging sound, followed by the young man's swift utterance of a curse.

At these words, Kali looked at Rex, who sat up a little straighter in his seat. "General Skywalker is correct, sir. Chopper _is _one of the best. It's just..." Here, he faltered and frowned to himself.

"He...hurts," Ahsoka broke in, her voice quiet. "He's wounded in a way that goes past his skin." She frowned as well and shook her head.

_I could sense something like that from him, _Kali thought as she gave a slow nod. _Something deeper than what was on his surface. _"So you think he wouldn't want to?"

Rex and Ahsoka exchanged glances before the captain spoke. "It's not a question of whether or not he'd want to," Rex explained at last. "But whether or not he'd _allow _himself to want to."

"Well, I'd like to at least extend the offer," Kalinda replied after a pause. "And I can promise that everyone on this ship will treat him with respect and kindness." Behind her, Milo, Crest and Traxis nodded in agreement and she felt a glow of pride for her men.

From his place at her side, Stonewall cleared his throat, and she noted a flicker of apprehension from him, centered on her. "And if he's as astute as you say, it would be good to bring him along. The more eyes, the better, as far as I'm concerned."

_I suppose the whole notion of 'Jedi-Killers' has him on edge, especially when we're hunting them. _She nodded and regarded Rex, whose expression was thoughtful. "I think it will be fine, but you know him better than I do, Captain. If you don't think it's a good idea..."

"I think it's a great idea," Ahsoka broke in. "I think it'll be good for him. I'm a little jealous, actually. You guys always sound like you're having fun." She gave Rex a playful nudge and Kali didn't miss how the captain emanated a small bit of amusement at her teasing despite his neutral mien.

Anakin's voice sounded again, echoing within the engine compartment. "I resent that, Snips. We have _plenty _of fun."

"I've heard some interesting stories..." Kalinda said. "I don't know if I'd share your idea of fun, Anakin."

"Believe me," Ahsoka replied with a wry look towards her master. "You wouldn't. I'm not even sure I do all the time."

There were only a few more minutes of discussion before Anakin and Weave clambered out of the engine and the decision was made.

* * *

><p>It wasn't an odd thing for Chopper to get a request to see the captain in his office, and he had long ago stopped feeling apprehension over such a summons. However, given his recent interaction with General Halcyon he wasn't sure what to expect, which did nothing to set him at ease. When he stepped into the room, he was greeted by Captain Rex as well as...<p>

"Captain Stonewall," the other officer said in a genial voice, reaching for Chopper's hand. "Good to meet you, Chopper." He leaned back in his chair and glanced at his fellow captain, who waved the trooper into a seat.

Chopper sat, keeping his back straight and wondering what was going to happen. He trusted his captain, tentatively considered him a friend, but the new officer was an unknown element and he didn't want to take any chances.

"I heard about your datapad," Rex said without preamble. "And I know how much work you lost even if you won't admit it. But General Halcyon's made an offer that might interest you."

Captain Stonewall nodded. "We're en route to Milagro to investigate a new type of Separatist droid – something that Grievous has been cooking up, from what I hear."

At this, Chopper leaned forward, the motion so small that it would have been easy to miss if he weren't in the company of other clones. "The MagnaGuards, sir?"

"Exactly. The Jedi-Killers." A shadow crossed Stonewall's face, though it was fleeting and indirect, before he continued. "I hear that you've been doing some research into the droids, sussing out weaknesses, attack patterns, that kind of thing?" He paused for confirmation and Chopper gave a careful nod. The new captain met his gaze. "Would you be interested in accompanying us to Milagro?"

Chopper hesitated.

"You don't have to," Rex added after a moment. "It was General Halcyon's idea, but it's only a suggestion, Chopper. It's not an order."

"She feels responsible for ruining your research," Stonewall added, a tinge of hopefulness coloring his words. "But she thinks this might make it up to you."

Chopper gave a mental shake of his head and considered. Getting a first-hand look at the Magnas in action would be incredibly useful, especially if he could create his own helmet vids; he knew which angles were more conducive to assessing the droids' abilities and which were best for simple destruction.

_But it would mean getting to know a whole new squad. Trying to fit in with an established group of brothers. _That was not one of his strengths. He hadn't seen their ship, but Fives said it was small, which meant that he'd have to share a bunk with new-to-him troopers, men who might look at him with disgust or revulsion or any number of unpleasant emotions that he tried to ignore, for all that they were infrequent on the _Resolute_now. Here he was more accepted; or maybe he always had been – if Echo was right – and he was only just starting to realize it.

And there was also the matter of the Jedi. He couldn't imagine being stuck in close quarters with a strange female; in some small, tight corner of his brain he heard Slick describing the exact way in which she would cringe away with revulsion, reiterating to him that women _hated _scars. Now he was able to push the thoughts to the side – for the time being – but it all boiled down to the fact that General Halcyon was yet another unknown element, and that he still wasn't that great with females. Especially ones who could essentially read your mind.

_No, _he thought. _No, it would be too strange, for all of us. _

The decision brought a bit of remorse, as he really would have liked to see the Magnas in action firsthand, but in the end he was sure that he was making the right choice.

So Chopper shook his head. "Thank you, sir. But I don't think I could." Despite his certainty, Chopper heard his voice trail to a whisper at the last word.

There was a pause before Stonewall nodded and reached forward to shake his hand again. "I'm sorry to hear that, Chopper, but I understand. We'll try to get some good vids for you, at any rate." There was remorse in the officer's voice, Chopper was certain, but he didn't think about it too hard as he rose and made his way out of the door.

He could have gone back to his bunk, but he felt odd and restless, so he made his way to the mess to grab a cup of caf and see if he could try to salvage any bits of vid from the 'pad. About half an hour later he was seated in his preferred location, the still-deceased datapad in front of him when someone approached.

"Chopper?"

"General Halcyon." He was on his feet in an instant, saluting her for all he was worth and anticipating something, though he couldn't have said what. _There must be some reason for her to seek me out. _He recalled her expression when she'd spilled the caf, then her captain's obvious disappointment when he declined her offer. _She's angry. Or at least annoyed. _He settled in for a chewing-out, and was thankful that no one else was about at this hour.

After a beat of silence she met his eyes. "Didn't feel like coming along?"

"No, sir." Of course he wanted to look at his feet, at the ceiling, anywhere but her face.

The Jedi's shoulders sank a bit as she nodded. After a pause she tilted her head at him. "Can I ask why?"

Chopper paused, considering. His eyes tried to drop of their own accord but she held his gaze, refusing to let him look away, which was more unsettling than anything else about her at the moment. Finally he continued. "I'm not...it's just..." Pausing to take a quick breath to collect himself, he tried not to frown as he looked back at her. "It's very kind of you, sir. But it isn't necessary."

"It's okay, Chopper. But after I heard nothing but glowing praise about you and your work, I was looking forward to working with you; Captain Rex, Ahsoka and Anakin were all very adamant that you were the best man for this job." Her expression softened, and she gave him a sad smile. "But it's okay. Maybe next time."

When she turned to leave, her words reverberated in his head. _I've heard nothing but glowing praise about you..the best man for this job._ As he wondered if it was possible to physically feel one's mind change, Chopper sighed to himself. _At least I'll have something to tell Fives and Echo, for once. _"General Halcyon..."

* * *

><p>While she spoke with Chopper, or rather, spoke <em>to <em>him, as he didn't participate all that much in the conversation, Kali tried to get a better sense of the man through the Force. _Ahsoka was right, he has many scars, most of which aren't visible. _When he'd refused the offer, she let her disappointment show, thinking that perhaps he felt as though he wouldn't be welcome, and she was irrationally pleased when he changed his mind. They arranged for him to come to the _Wayfarer _the next morning, when they were scheduled to leave, then parted ways.

Lifting her comm, Kali called Stonewall as she made her way out of the mess hall. "He said yes." She couldn't keep the happiness from her voice and heard Stone's reply in kind.

"Good. Er..." There was a pause, then he cleared his throat. "Meet me at the ship?"

It was just him, as the other members of her squad were with several of the 501st clones; he was standing at parade-rest when she approached, but he saluted her once she came close. Kali glanced around, noted the presence of a deck officer and sighed inwardly. _I hate sneaking around like this, but it won't do to advertise our relationship. We can't let the gossip get too out of hand._Once they were on board, he took a deep breath.

"I'm glad that he's coming, but we'll need to sort out our...sleeping arrangements."

_Osik. Should have thought of that first. _She nodded and glanced around at the crew cabins. Normally she and Stone shared the officer's bunk and the others stayed within the remaining two rooms. "I can give up my room to three of you and take one of the smaller cabins," she offered as she looked back at him.

But Stonewall shook his head. "No, Kali. You're the ranking officer, therefore you get the officer's cabin. But I appreciate the thought." He gave her a smile, which she returned. "I'll throw in with Crest and Traxis, and Chopper can bunk with Mi and Weave."

"I'd rather have it the other way around," she replied, thinking of her conversations with the trooper. "I think Crest and Traxis might be better for him. Crest has a..." She sighed to herself. "A way with people, you know? I think he'd be good with Chopper."

"You've spoken to him more than I have," he replied. After a moment he exhaled and took her hands in his own. "I'm glad he's coming. Those droids have been bothering me."

Kali studied him. "What in the stars could bother you about a 'Jedi-Killer' droid?" Her smile was wide and he chuckled as he bent to kiss her. After several more moments she looked at him again. "I will miss you, you know. Even if it's just for a week."

He didn't reply at first, but she got the definite notion that the feeling was mutual.

* * *

><p>The day of departure came with alarming speed. General Halcyon's ship, the <em>Wayfarer<em>, was resupplied and ready to go at 0700 that morning, which was when Chopper found himself at the hangar, duffel bag slung over his shoulder, helmet on, nerves twisting. He could see the members of Shadow loading up the very last of the supplies, as well as General Halcyon and Captain Stonewall speaking to Rex at the base of the ramp. As he approached, he caught the edges of their words.

"We'll be in contact," the Jedi was saying. "I don't imagine this taking more than four days – a week at the very most – and then we'll rendezvous back with you."

Rex nodded; Chopper noted that the captain seemed somewhat more at ease with the Jedi than he'd imagined, and remembered hearing something about General Halcyon and her captain working with Rex and a few of the 501st on some Outer-Rim world several months ago – the name of the planet escaped him at the moment. He stepped forward and dropped the bag to his feet, lifting his arm in a salute as he did so. The moment he did, the other members of the squad appeared in the doorway and regarded him, and he was thankful that he'd worn his bucket.

"At ease, Chopper," the Jedi said with a smile. While he lowered his arm to stand at parade rest he examined her expression and found that it was not sarcastic or mocking. As he did so, he thought that Rex might have given him an odd look, but it may have just been a trick of the light. The Jedi indicated the ship. "Welcome to the new-and-improved _Wayfarer."_

A bald clone on the ramp of the little transport chuckled. "_Now_ with a working 'fresher! Will wonders never cease?"

General Halcyon grinned and nodded to Rex. "Thanks for everything, Rex. And please thank Anakin again for me, will you?"

The captain gave her an easy salute, shook Captain Stonewall's hand and turned to Chopper, slapping him on the shoulder once before giving him a nod. "Have fun."

Before Chopper could ask him what he meant, Rex exited the hangar, leaving Chopper with his new – temporary – squad. Captain Stonewall glanced at him. "Let's go through the introductions on board...I'm ready go get underway." A look at the Jedi; she nodded and turned to step aboard the ship, the captain and Chopper following in her wake. Once everyone was aboard, another clone – who looked a bit younger than the others – sealed the door and then bounded for the helm where he began to prep the engines.

Chopper stood for a moment with h is bag slung over his shoulder, unsure of what to do. He didn't have to wait long.

General Halcyon cleared her throat. "Guys...this is Chopper. He's going to help us investigate those MagnaDroids."

"Magna_Guards," _the captain said. "How many times have we been over this, Ka...General?"

She had the look of someone trying not to roll her eyes. "You know what I meant, _Captain_."

Chopper resisted the urge to gape at Stonewall, even though he knew that no one could see him beneath his bucket. _Did h__e almost call her by her first name? Perhaps Fives was right. _But he had little desire to root out truth from speculation, so he tried to ignore the moment as the others stepped forward to introduce themselves.

A quiet clone with twin strips of hair shaved into his head reached for Chopper's hand. "I'm Weave, the medic. Nice to meet you." Chopper felt his shoulders relax at the even tone of the trooper's voice, and his calm expression.

The next clone, completely bald, gave him a grin and a firm handshake. "Crest. Ordnance." He pointed his thumb toward his face. "I'm also the funny one."

"In your own mind, maybe," spoke up another, a clone with a jagged, pink scar that ran across his face and down past the edge of his body-glove, which Chopper ran his eyes over, thinking of how it must have happened, how old it was, how much it had hurt to get. "Traxis," he said as he shook Chopper's hand. "Weapons."

The younger clone who'd taken the helm twisted in his seat. "I'd get up, but I don't want us to crash. I'm Milo." He waved and Chopper felt his hand lift in return, as if on its own accord. Milo nodded at him through the reflection of the viewscreen and then shook his head. "Oh yeah...sniper. That's what I do, anyway." He gave a quiet chuckle.

"And you've met Stone and I, so I think that's that," the Jedi said.

The captain indicated a corridor off to one side. "You'll be bunking with Crest and Traxis. Hope you don't mind the smell."

Crest rolled his eyes and muttered as he waved Chopper along. "Suddenly everyone's a comedian."

They walked through the rear section of the ship and he paused before a small cabin door; when it opened, Chopper's brows lifted beneath his bucket. The room was a jumbled mess of armor, old clothing and various bits and pieces of weaponry. However, there was a small cot in the corner, the area around it clear of debris. Chopper noted how the cot was against the wall and wondered if Rex had said something.

"You can toss your stuff down anywhere," Crest said. "As you can tell, we're not too strict on protocol around here. And the smell's gone...Trax and I figured out what it was." His brows lifted and he grinned as Chopper placed his duffel on the cot. "Namana pudding doesn't age well, as it turns out."

Having no response to that, Chopper nodded. As he turned to leave the room, the bald clone paused; when he spoke again, his voice was deliberate. "You don't have to leave your helmet on, Chopper," he said, meeting the place on the visor where Chopper's eyes were. "Whatever you prefer."

The Chopper from months ago, the Chopper that still heard Slick's voice in the back of his mind, cringed at the idea. But the Chopper who had friends, the Chopper who had the commander's trust and the captain's respect...he gave a nod and popped the seal of his bucket, lifted it and set it down on the cot beside his duffel. When he turned back to Crest, the bald clone gave him a wide grin.

"Don't blame you," he said, and Chopper frowned. But Crest only shook his head and thumbed the discarded helmet. "Those things are a bit cumbersome inside this tiny ship, is all. I figured it out the first time I smacked my forehead on a door-frame that it's better to go bucket-less in here. Come on," he added with a causal motion of his hand that indicated they should head back to the common area of the ship. "You can vouch for me about the smell...or lack thereof."

* * *

><p><em>Reviews and comments are all appreciated! <em>

_Next week: music lessons!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Three**

The journey from the _Resolute_'s location to Milagro was not a long one, but it would take most of the day, so Kalinda decided to get in some practice while the ship coasted along the hyperlane. After a few moments rummaging through her cabin, she emerged into the common-area with a handful of musical instruments. Stonewall and Traxis moved to collect the bulk of them from her, placing the cases along the galley table.

From the helm, Milo glanced back, his face breaking into a smile. "Practice time?"

"Set the auto and come on, Mi," Kali replied, taking a seat between Stonewall and Chopper, the latter of whom was trying not to gape at the array of unfamiliar instruments before him. Crest and Traxis picked up their favored instruments, a Nautolan harmonica and a Mandalorian _bes'bev, _a flute-like device, while Stone flipped open the latches on the ion-steel gitar case and lifted the shiny, metallic instrument into his lap. Weave selected the dulcimer, running his hands across the strings as Milo slid into the seat beside him and reached for the small, dual-sided _tabla _drums with which he had become proficient.

Kali's own instrument of choice was a slender viol, but she left it in its case while she glanced at Chopper, who looked truly lost now that the others had begun the process of tuning, filling the air with various discordant notes while they adjusted sound, resonance and pitch. She gave him a gentle smile. "You don't play anything, do you?" Her voice was modulated just enough to reach him through the sound of the others. He shook his head, emanating a mixture of bewilderment and reluctance. _I have that gitar that Hondo gave me. Perhaps he'd like to give that a try._

But before she could offer to show him a few chords, Crest looked up. "Here, this is all tuned if you want to give it a shot." He leaned across the table and offered Chopper the harmonica.

Chopper stared at it for a few seconds before reaching his hand forward and taking the small instrument as if it were a live bomb; he studied the slender, rectangular-shaped object for several moments before looking back up at Crest. "I don't know how."

A few minutes later, the bald clone was giving Chopper a few basic instructions on the device while the others continued to tune; at one point, Stonewall caught Kali's eye and she felt a leap of acknowledgment from his thoughts. _You were right about Crest. _She made no reply, only ducked her head over the viol as she ran the cube of rosin along the bowstring.

"But you won't have something," Chopper said at last, frowning at the instrument.

Crest gave a shrug. "Eh. I'm not that great with it, to tell you the truth, and sometimes I just like to listen. Matter-of-fact, you're welcome to hang on to it, if you like. Now come on, let's see what you've got." He glanced at Kali and named one of the simpler songs that they knew, one that wouldn't require much expertise on the harmonica. But Chopper didn't realize that, and Kali thought that he looked nothing short of terrified, for all that he seemed to try and hide it.

"Count us off, Crest," she said, and soon the music began. Chopper stumbled at first – making music wasn't an easy thing to do, after all – but like all clones, he possessed a remarkable talent for learning new skills, and this situation was no different. By the third time they ran through the song, the harmonica sounded fluid and pitch-perfect, and Kali smiled inwardly at Chopper's look of determination.

* * *

><p>The whole business with the harmonica had happened suddenly and was so unexpected that Chopper hadn't had time to come up with a valid reason to bow out of the session, so he did the next best thing: he adapted. As it turned out, the little instrument wasn't terribly difficult to play – it was odd, certainly – but not especially hard to pick up, and he realized that he liked the sound: an almost-wheeze that reminded him of nothing at all.<p>

After a few songs he was able to divert some of his attention to the others and try to get a better sense of their dynamics. Of his new – temporary – bunk-mates, Crest was easy, in more ways than one, and although Chopper understood that the bald clone was taking pains to be kind to him, it wasn't in an awkward or irritating manner. He seemed to have the same kind of casual friendliness with everyone in the group, even the Jedi. _Fives would like him, as would Echo. The commander definitely would. _Once Crest was satisfied with Chopper's grasp of the harmonica, he'd returned to his seat and was singing along with the others, hands behind his head, left foot bobbing with the music as it rested on his right knee.

The scarred clone – Traxis – seemed to take pride in the Mandalorian flute he played, of which Chopper had only heard of prior to this mission. He wondered if this was the clone who'd taught his general Mando'a, then decided it didn't matter. The sound that emanated from the instrument could have been shrill, but for the fact that Traxis' breath seemed to drop the pitch, making it full and sonorous. He spoke but rarely, and his words were solid and sure; Chopper noted that this trooper wore his scar, not the other way around.

Of the others, Milo radiated nothing so much as energy; his hands lifted and fell across the skein of the drums in his lap with a rolling eagerness that thrummed like a heartbeat beneath the layers of music. There was some genial ribbing from his squad-mates as they called him 'shiny' and the like, but he took it all in stride. He seemed happy to just be included and grinned while he played.

The medic – Weave – held an instrument that looked a bit more complicated than the others, and he was skilled with it. Chopper had never even heard of a dulcimer, so he took a moment to study its rounded body, noting the polished wood-grain that was obviously well cared for. Weave bent over its neck, his eyes fixed on his fingers as they moved across the strings; if Chopper had been of a more poetic mind he would have considered the resulting sound to be sweet and a bit wistful.

Captain Stonewall was strange in a way that Chopper couldn't quite place a name to; he possessed the calm self-assurance that most officers had – the good ones, anyway – but there was something _else _about him that made Chopper's brows knit as he watched the captain lean over the brushed metal of the ion-steel gitar. _He's different, somehow. I just can't figure it out. _It was almost an attitude, but not quite. There was a presence about him, especially when he...

And then Chopper figured out the captain's secret. It was plain to see, once he _looked _for it, though the realization did nothing to quell his nerves, for if the commanding officer really was walking that knife-edge of attraction to the Jedi...well.

At the very least, it would cause the captain to be distracted. Chopper remembered Stonewall's anxiousness when he'd mentioned that the Jedi wanted to make amends; it wasn't that he was concerned for Chopper, though there was some of that feeling present, innate in all officers, but rather that he was worried for the general. The captain cared what happened to the Jedi on a very personal level.

Chopper looked at her with new eyes.

The viol was another instrument he'd never heard of, but the sound was pleasant; mourning and celebratory all at once. He liked the look of the slender bow, strung taut with hair, as she drew it across the strings. Her eyes were half-closed in concentration and he tried to see her in an objective light. _She is attractive, I suppose. Fives was right about that part. But a Jedi? How can a clone feel that way about a Jedi? We're all so different. _The understanding came over him that he had no clue to what extend the captain's feelings ran, or if they were reciprocated, but then he decided it didn't matter.

_At the end of the day it has nothing to do with me._

But still, it was a knowledge that he thought would keep him awake that night.

The session ended almost too soon, and instruments were placed back into cases, latches were snapped shut. Crest brought out something to eat and for a while Chopper listened to the conversation between the others, trying to watch the captain and the Jedi without seeming to. He thought that he was fairly good at being inconspicuous, so he was a little startled when Stonewall looked at him.

"What have you learned about the Jedi-Killers, Chopper?"

All eyes turned his way, but since he knew the answer he was able to speak without hesitating. "Their staffs are resistant to lightsabers, sir. Their armor is tough and their programming is unlike anything I've ever seen. And..." He frowned and licked his lips. "They learn."

Everyone was quiet for a moment.

Finally Crest spoke. "They learn? Like what...dance moves? Huttese?" Wary, Chopper looked up and saw that the bald clone was smiling.

_He's joking, of course. _Chopper sighed to himself. _The Commander__ really would like him._

Traxis rolled his eyes at his brother. "Is everything always one big joke to you?"

"Most things, most of the time, yes."

* * *

><p>From what they could tell, Milagro was filled with thick, temperate forests that were scattered with meadows and rivers. <em>It's pretty for a place filled with killer droids, <em>Kalinda thought as the _Wayfarer_ orbited the small moon and Weave scanned the planet's surface.

After a few moments he nodded to the Jedi. "It's clear. Our intel was correct...I'm not picking up any Seppie ships around. Not sure if that's a good thing or not," he added with a frown.

"Where's the facility located?" Stonewall asked, leaning beside the medic.

Weave pulled up a schematic of the location on the ship's holo-transmitter, the bunker-type building rotating slowly before them. "Northern hemisphere," he said after reciting the coordinates. "Tucked in the side of a hill."

Stone shot Kali a look. "How do you want to play this?"

The Jedi and all of the clones were gathered by the helm, save Chopper, who was hanging back, radiating uncertainty. Kalinda studied the building, then looked at Weave. "Can you pull the image back so we can get a better idea of the surrounding area?" Immediately, the building shrank, revealing a wide spread of open meadow on all sides, save the edge that was built into the hillside.

"No cover," Milo said in a grim voice. "That's going to make our job harder."

Naturally, Crest made a lurid remark at this, which Traxis countered, and there was good-natured bickering for a moment before Stonewall brought everyone's focus back on the task at hand, and the clones began to discuss potential solutions to their problem. But Kali's attention wasn't on her men; rather, she'd sensed _something_ from Chopper, something that he was reluctant to voice. She thought she knew, but waited to see if he'd speak up.

He did, the words soft at first, but the others quieted immediately and turned to listen. Kali looked at him. "I didn't catch that, Chopper."

"It would be better to draw them out to a more suitable location," he said after a pause, not meeting her eyes. "Somewhere we could have the upper hand."

Stone frowned. "This is an intel-gathering mission...we shouldn't engage the Magnas unless we're forced to."

But Kali was nodding. "No, Stone, he's right. Look at that place...we'll never be able to sneak in undetected – even if I could use my Force-shield to keep us all hidden." She studied Chopper. "You've seen them in action more than any of us...any ideas?"

Everyone's eyes were on him and she could see him visibly tense for an instant, though his expression quickly turned speculative. "Thicker cover would be better," he said at last. "Uneven terrain...droids still have trouble navigating it, no matter how advanced they are." He looked at her as if for approval and she gave him a quick smile before turning back to the rotating image.

But Weave was already on it. "Here...about three klicks east of the facility: the forest is pretty dense and hilly."

"That's all well and good," Crest replied. "But how are we going to make sure they make it to the party?"

She could feel Stonewall's apprehension in the Force, but she knew the answer anyway. "Well, they're Jedi-Killers...and we happen to have a Jedi on hand, don't we?"

"General..." Stonewall's eyes on here were filled with alarm, so much so that she didn't need the Force to tell her how he felt about this plan.

"I know it's risky," she said. After a brief hesitation she placed her hand on his forearm. "But do you have a better idea?"

_Yes. It involves you not putting yourself in their path, _he replied, frowning again when she shook her head.

Chopper made a soft noise and the others glanced at him. "Their _staffs_ are lightsaber resistant," he murmured. "But they themselves can be felled with enough blaster fire, just like any other droid. Perhaps we can set up an ambush."

Traxis grinned at this. "An ambush? That sounds like fun."

"We'll need a way to extract ourselves – quickly – once we have the information we need," Weave added, his tone thoughtful. "I'm not sure how well we can hide the _Wayfarer..._" There was silence for a moment while everyone considered the matter, then Kali felt a flare of excitement from Chopper and smiled to herself as she cast him a querying look.

He met her eyes, his own were alight with anticipation. "General, I have an idea."

* * *

><p>At first he'd been reluctant to speak up, particularly when the entire plan revolved around putting the Jedi into harm's way, but in the end, Chopper couldn't keep the words to himself, though he supposed that was something he'd have done in the past. The captain had been visibly uneasy about the whole thing, but General Halcyon had approved, which was all that mattered when it came to the chain of command. Chopper tried to watch her reaction to Captain Stonewall's apprehension, but he couldn't discern anything unprofessional, anything that might lend credence to the rumors that Fives and Echo had heard.<p>

Several hours later, he was crouched with the Jedi alongside a sloping hill, waiting. They were about thirty meters away from a their target, surrounded on all sides by a swathe of meadow, littered with divots and chunks of rock and gravel, beyond which was dense forest. He nodded to himself as he listened to the others take their positions: Crest, Milo and Weave were at the farthest point of the meadow that surrounded the facility, waiting with droid-poppers and a sniper while the captain and Traxis were placed between the two groups, ready to offer assistance to the Jedi and the trooper, should they need it.

_That _had not been part of Chopper's idea, but the captain had insisted on a second line of defense, and the general had acquiesced.

Chopper wondered if the rumors were true, after all.

The _Wayfarer _was not a large ship, but it was equipped with several modest speeder-bikes, two of which he and the general had taken to the facility. They'd managed to approach unseen and park the bikes, and were presently crouched next to them, close but not touching. Chopper was busy scanning the area – again – with his HUD while the general reached out with the Force.

_I suppose that's what she's doing, _he thought, trying not to look at her. The dark-haired woman was holding unnaturally still, her eyes closed and her lips slightly parted in her concentration. For several minutes the air was silent; he realized with a flash that there were no guards to speak of. There was a moment of debate as he wondered whether or not to rouse her from her trance to let her know, but it didn't matter in the end, as her eyes opened and fell on him a minute later.

"You don't see anyone either, do you?"

He shook his head, then pointed to a panel beside the door to the building. "Those sensors are the key, General. If we approach, they'll most likely send out an alarm..." He trailed off and they exchanged glances before she nodded.

"That's one way we can get their attention," she said in a quiet voice. He tensed as she lifted her comlink. "Stone?"

"General." The captain's voice was clipped and held only a vague trace of a question.

Chopper felt rather than saw her take a deep breath; the edge of her pale tunic was brushing his kneecap. "I'm going to attempt to engage them," she replied. "Chopper will follow me on his bike and I'll lead them to your position, like we planned."

There was a pause before the captain responded. "As you say, General Halcyon." Chopper thought that his tone suggested that his eyes were closed, but the thought was fleeting. The general checked in with the other members of the squad while Chopper continued to scan the area. He noted that she made sure to speak to every man before she was finished, before she turned back to him. They were close and he realized with a start that her hand was on his arm again.

"I'll take my speeder out first. Cover me?" She asked the question as if they hadn't discussed it before, and he wondered at the fact.

"Of course, sir," he replied, not wanting to add, "that was the plan, wasn't it?" She studied him a moment, giving the impression that she could look right through his bucket to his scars, before slipping away and straddling the slender bike. The engine powered up with a groan and she maneuvered the vehicle towards the facility; keeping as low as he could, Chopper mounted his own bike and waited. Though no one spoke over the open comm channel, he could feel the attention of the others as tangibly as if it was the buzz of conversation. They were all waiting.

They didn't have to wait long.

* * *

><p><em>Two more to go...<br>_

_Thank you everyone who has reviewed! It makes me so happy to know that y'all are enjoying this fic! Thanks again to **reulte** for creating such a wonderful character with Chopper. :D_


	4. Chapter 4

**Four**

In hindsight, there wasn't really a _smart_ way to antagonize the MagnaDroids – _MagnaGuards,_Kali told herself – and draw them out of their hiding place, but she was determined to get the information that the Republic needed. _Too many have died from these blasted things already. If we can help at all, then we have to do everything possible. _She waited as an alarm began to flash, and held her position as the wail of the klaxon broke the silence of the afternoon air; only when the first of the Magnas appeared over the rim of the retaining wall in front of the bunker did she kick the bike into gear.

They recognized her as an enemy and were upon her in seconds. The bike was fast but she'd figured they'd have mounts as well, and she'd been correct. Kali barely glimpsed Chopper on his own vehicle as she skimmed past him, hoping that the Magnas wouldn't notice the trooper.

That, at least, went as planned.

Stone and the others were several klicks from her position, so she urged the bike into its highest gear, wondering how fast the bikes of the Magnas could go, and hoping that hers was just a little faster. Kali felt her hair being torn out of the messy braid while her eyes stung from the wind of her passage, so she ducked her head a bit to keep the worst of the biting air at bay, and plummeted onward. The seat vibrated with the straining engine, but her grip on the handlebars was firm as she steered the bike through the tallish grass of the meadow towards the rest of Shadow Squad. Over her comm, she could hear Stone ordering the others to get ready, she was getting closer...

When the first of the shots came, she felt rather than heard the streak of plasma as it skidded past her; there was no time to think the droid had missed, as the bolt met its mark on a nearby hillock, sending a spray of dirt into her path and causing her to swerve for just an instant. Unfortunately, that one instant was enough to send her spiraling out of control, and she felt the little bike tipping forward as if trying to buck her off even while it plummeted towards the nearby woods, far off of her intended path. She heard someone shout over the comm, then the shriek of familiar blaster fire, but was too engrossed in regaining control of her vehicle to do much besides duck her head to avoid being hit.

It was a difficult while accelerating through the forest, but at last she managed to pause and right the bike; during the time it took her to do so, she realized that the Magnas had surrounded her, flanking her on four sides with as many droids. The nearest one raised its blaster and aimed. Kali gritted her teeth as she bunched her muscles beneath her, leaping from the bike the moment that the shot rang out through the thick woods, sending her vehicle up in a shower of sparks. The Force aided her jump and carried her to the safety of an obliging branch, where she watched the Magnas approach, their own speeder-bikes whining as they circled the tree on which she'd landed.

For a moment they looked up at the Jedi while she looked down at them; Kali got the sense that if they'd been sentient, they would have been flummoxed at the appearance of a Jedi Knight in their vicinity, but the wry thought was fleeting as the nearest one lifted its pike, the ends illuminating with flickering, purple energy that buzzed uncomfortably in her ears. With one fluid motion the droids slid off of the bikes, allowing one of their kind to scramble up the tree towards her.

Kalinda frowned at it as her hand went to her blaster. Apparently, the Magna was not expecting to see a Jedi with a blaster any more than it had been expecting to see a Jedi at all, and she was able to drop it with a few well-placed shots.

But they learned.

The others ignored their fallen comrade and watched her; looking around, Kali realized that if she wanted to leave the tree, she'd have to jump to another, which would leave her open to an attack. _Of course, they can probably just shake the kriffing thing and drop me like a muja-fruit. _On a whim she reached for her comlink, then realized with dismay that it had been knocked loose, most likely during her frenetic race through the woods.

The tree shivered as a second droid began to climb, glowing eyes fixed on her while the other two began to shake the tree as if they'd read her thoughts, thereby preventing her from aiming the blaster properly. Purple light filled her vision for a moment as she gathered her strength to make another leap and she could smell the electricity from the pike's ends as the Magna slithered towards her.

Then she heard the sound of blaster-fire from an unseen point to her left. Within moments, the droid approaching her was knocked to the ground as if stunned, and the other two turned to see their new opponent, whose presence Kali felt in the Force.

_Chopper. _She could see the glint of his armor – the white gleam not in any way camouflaged amongst the green and brown of the forest – and sense his single-minded determination. The droids were distracted for only an instant while they fired on Chopper's position, but it was enough. Gathering the Force, Kalinda dropped to the ground and managed to catch the first droid off guard with her lightsaber, feeling a measure of satisfaction when it crumpled to the ground in a heap of glowing kerf and duranium.

Of course, the impact from the fall – even aided by the Force as it was – had caused the old injury in her knee to give out, and as she made to leap towards the trooper, she didn't account for the fact that the fallen droid still had some measure of motor control. The bite from the energy-pike tore into her knee, sending a streak of pain throughout her entire body. In the back of her mind she thought she heard Chopper say her name – her _name, _not her title – but she wasn't sure. For a moment she was stunned, blinded with pain, and when she opened her eyes the remaining two Magnas had forgotten their clone quarry and were bearing down on her.

* * *

><p>There was no time to think, so Chopper acted<em>. <em>He fired and hoped that he could stop them from adding General Halcyon's name to the list of Jedi that had been killed. The Magnas' armor was tough and he noted that his deece couldn't really touch them from this distance – _perhaps they'd been upgraded?_– and realized with a frown that he would very likely not live to see the next few minutes. The smell of burning metal as his bike was hit sneaked through the filter of his suit, and he tensed his muscles in preparation for the final moment of his life.

And then the Jedi got their attention again and drew them away, back towards her. Chopper noted that the one she'd felled was still able to move its arms enough to wield the staff; he heard her yelp as it sent a jolt of energy into the back of her knee.

"Kalinda!" The droids advanced on the Jedi and ignored the clone, so Chopper raced towards her, hoping that he wasn't making an error when he pulled out all three of his EMP grenades and tossed them at the feet of the droids. Perhaps one wouldn't have been strong enough to disable the thing, but three managed – barely – and for a moment there was only a sputter of sparks as the two remaining Magnas were stilled.

_Won't last, though. _Chopper moved to the Jedi, wondering if she'd heard him call out her name and wondering why he'd done so in the first place. "General Halcyon?"

Dark eyes met his and he noted that her fingers were on her blaster as if she'd been getting ready to aim. There was a moment where he was at a loss of what to say or do, but then she smiled up at him. "Thanks, Chopper." Her hand extended and he took it, helping her get to her feet before they turned to the smoldering remains of her speeder-bike. Chopper took a moment to study the Magnas; he'd made sure to keep his helmet-vid recording during the entire engagement, but wondered how useful the jolted, dizzying footage would be.

The Jedi took a step forward, then stumbled and gave a mild curse; they both looked at her leg and she winced. "Ouch. Those pikes are no joke."

"Are you okay, sir?" The words sounded silly, but he didn't know what else he was supposed to say in this instance.

She nodded, then lifted her left wrist; he noted that her comlink was missing, so he blinked into his HUD to call the others. Nothing. He frowned and tried again before realizing that his own equipment must have been damaged in the fracas.

The Jedi gave him a wry look. "You've caught my bad luck with the comms, it seems. They never last long around me." She glanced at the droids at their feet. "We should leave." Her step was halted and he noted that her face contorted in pain, though she said nothing.

"Sir...the bike." He indicated his vehicle, smoking and useless beyond them.

But the Jedi only nodded; she took another moment and held very still, and he figured she was using the Force again. Finally she pointed to their left. "The others are that way...I guess we have a bit of a walk ahead of us." Her voice was light but he could hear the edge that the pain had brought upon her.

They started to walk. She limped but tried not to show it and he was at a loss. If it had been the commander, he would have insisted that he carry her, but the dark-haired Jedi was different; she was a woman grown, not a teenage girl, and in so many ways she was utterly foreign to him. There was a distance between them, real or imagined, that he didn't know how to close. Chopper didn't know if he could close it, and Slick's voice echoed in his head, as it often did in moments of doubt. _Women don't like scars. No woman will want to get close to you, Chopper old boy. _

It was warm, but he shivered anyway.

Then she stumbled and caught herself on his arm. Chopper realized that her eyes had been closed. "Can I help you at all, sir?"

She gave a small chuckle, but he got the sense that it was not at him. "I'll be okay, Chopper, but thank you." Looking behind her, she frowned. "You should go on and meet the others. I think I'm slowing you down." He opened his mouth to protest but she shook her head. "Despite all appearances, I _am_a Jedi. I can handle myself."

Abruptly, Captain Stonewall's face entered his mind, and Chopper realized that if it were him, and the woman he cared about was in this situation, he would not want her to be alone, no matter how many supernatural powers she possessed, and no matter if she felt this way or that about himself. _It's not my place to speculate, _he thought again as he considered the captain's obvious feelings about the Jedi. _But if it were me, I'd want to know she was safe, with a brother. _He took a breath. "General Halcyon, I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to remain alone and unguarded. Two of us together have better odds than just one."

Her mouth opened to argue, so he paused and – after another breath – removed his bucket and met her gaze. "Please allow me to help you, sir."

For a moment her eyes were on him, all of him, as he got the sense – again – that she was taking in his entire person, and then she gave a soft nod. "Okay, Chopper. But I need you to do something for me as well."

"Of course, General." He moved to replace the helmet but she stopped him with a hand on the rounded contour of its skull.

"Kalinda," she said in a firm voice. "Please, just call me Kalinda. Not 'general,' not 'sir.' Will you do that, please?"

* * *

><p><em>Sometimes I feel like a broken holo-recording, repeating myself over and over,<em> Kali thought as she watched Chopper's mouth open in astonishment at her request. She considered giving him a median – as she'd done with Rex on Japarran – but decided against it. _He did it before, I know he did. _"Chopper? What do you say?"

His mouth closed and he nodded once. "As you say, Kalinda."

"Thank you," she replied, lifting her hand so he could replace his bucket, though he held almost unnaturally still. "This is how I do things, Chopper. Everyone has their own quirks, don't they? It took me forever to get the guys to drop the title...thanks for going along with it so quickly." She gave him a smile and he took a breath, nodding again before they began to move once more.

The pike had hurt more than she wanted to admit, and Kalinda realized that she needed to stop and focus all of her attention on healing herself, but an extension of her awareness told her that the droids were starting to move again. She tried – again – to reach Stonewall through the Force, but the pain was too distracting. Chopper noticed something was wrong, and cast her a wary look.

In response, she glanced behind them. "The Magnas...I think the grenades are wearing off."

"You can detect droids with the Force?" It was a good question, but was not the question she'd expected.

"Not quite," she replied, trying not to think about her knee. "But I can sense their passage through the forest...the insects and animals react to their presence." She frowned. "They're coming." For a moment she thought she detected a note of regret from the trooper, but it faded quickly. Even so, Kali was curious. "You're disappointed about something?"

There was a hint of a sigh in his reply. "I was hoping to get some better footage. Closer and more steady."

"Perhaps another time," she replied with a smile.

He nodded but still looked at her. "Your injury. How bad is it, really?"

_Am I that transparent? _Kali leaned against a nearby tree and tried to twist around to get a good look at the back of her knee, where the pike had blistered her skin, but all she could make out was a tear in her leggings. Then Chopper was kneeling behind her, helmet clipped to his belt as he pulled out the medipac from his kit. He didn't say anything as he lifted the bacta patch; however, she heard his throat clear and glanced back at him. "The fabric..."

He didn't want to touch her. Kalinda nodded and bent to lift her leggings out of the way, wincing at the sensation as the fabric pulled off of the blistering wound. "Is that enough?"

Chopper said nothing but within moments she felt the cool press of bacta against her skin, smoothing away the burning throb that the pike had left. She gave an involuntary sigh as the pain dulled enough for her head to clear. "Much better. Thank you, Chopper."

He'd risen and replaced his medipac, but as he opened his mouth to reply, they heard a distinctive sound in the brush behind them. Blaster out, he was standing several meters before her in an instant; so quick was the movement that the only indication it had taken place was the gentle sway of his helmet from its place on his belt. "I can hold them off, Gen...Kalinda."

But she shook her head. "There's not enough time. Come here."

* * *

><p><em>Come here? <em>

In one swift motion, Chopper replaced his bucket and stepped backward; the Jedi's arm reached for his and pulled him close beside her, so he could feel the heat from her skin and the rise and fall of her torso as she breathed. "Hold still," she whispered. "And trust me."

Abruptly, the air around them _changed. _It shimmered, as though rippling with heat, and he watched as everything within his field of vision seemed to distort. A glance at the Jedi told him that she was concentrating on something: her eyes were shut and her breath was uneven, her skin was flushing as though she'd started to run. It was unnerving.

But not nearly as much as when he realized that the Magnas were almost upon them. Thankfully, it was still just the two, but they were striding through the forest with a purpose. His legs twitched involuntarily, fight or flight reflexes warring with one another, but the Jedi kept her hand on his arm, holding him in place. He sincerely hoped that whatever she was doing with the Force was working as it should.

In any case, the Magnas were closing in, and he realized that he didn't want to miss the opportunity, so he activated the recording vid in his helmet and focused on their fluid movements, ensuring that he was zooming in as much as possible, paying particular attention to their joints, where many droids were at their most vulnerable. _Amazing, _he thought as they approached. _They move like liquid...not at __all like machines. _Both had their pikes ignited and he could tell that their photo-receptors were scanning the area, searching. _Do they have scanners for life-forms? I suppose not, if they haven't detected us. Unless she's doing something about that, too._

Now they were only meters away. The first one slowed, its head swiveling around while it sought its prey. The second seemed to look around the wider area, and he noted how they worked together, as a pair, rather than as two individually programmed units. He took a second to adjust the zoom so that the image wouldn't be too blurred.

Beside him, the Jedi was still, but he felt her grip on his arm tighten further as the ground shuddered a little from the droids' approach. The first one stopped before them, perhaps a palm's length from Chopper's visor. For a moment he didn't breathe, didn't move, wished he could tell his heart to stop beating, as the frantic tempo would surely alert the Magna to their presence. It looked directly at him, such that he could see the dings in the casing around its "eyes."

The entire forest was holding its breath. The Magna tilted its head, as if regarding. As if debating something.

Then there was a soft movement in the brush behind it, and both droids whirled around, converging on the unseen target. A twig snapped in the distance and they stalked off with eager steps.

It was several long minutes after they were out of sight before Chopper trusted himself to breathe evenly. When he was able to at last, he realized that the Jedi was looking at him, a half-smile on her face despite the fact that she seemed exhausted. Her voice was a little ragged when she spoke, but there was a note of humor in it as well. "Was that close enough for you, Chopper?"

* * *

><p><em>Only one chapter left! Reviews are welcomed and encouraged. Thanks for reading!<em>


	5. Chapter 5

**Five**

For a moment all it seemed Chopper could do was blink at her, but he recovered quickly and – to Kali's amazement – made a noise that sounded almost like laughter. "More than close enough," he replied, shaking his head and glancing in the direction the Magnas had gone. "But we should move on." Another look at her. "Your knee?"

The real question was implied. _Can you walk? Can you make the journey? _She wondered what he thought of her, of a Jedi that was felled so easily, especially after working with Anakin and Ahsoka for so long.

Pushing away her own doubt, Kali took a breath and nodded. "It'll be fine, Chopper. Let's go." She made to step forward but he remained, studying her, head tilted. "What's up?"

"Your eyes close when you access the Force," he replied. "It helps you focus?" Kali nodded and he seemed satisfied with something; he held out his left arm and leveled the T-slit of the visor towards her. "I can guide you, so you can keep your attention on your knee."

It was her turn to look at him and blink, but she took a breath and nodded again. She placed her hand on his vambrace and, after confirming the direction of the squad, they began to make their way through the forest. Kalinda found that it was not hard to focus like this, especially given the fact she was more comfortable being on the move right now; soon she relaxed into the Force and tried to work on mending the blistered skin of her knee.

For a while they walked in silence. The underbrush had cleared away, giving berth to slender pines that stretched out in all directions, whose dried needles coated the ground and muted their steps as their scent sharpened the air. After about half an hour she realized how tired she was, and decided to forgo working with her injury in order to contact Stonewall. It took longer than she would have liked but eventually she was able to reach his mind through the Force. _Stone?_

_Kali. _Even in this state his relief was evident. _We lost contact with you...are you okay? And Chopper?_

She felt the clone's presence at her side, his determination radiating off of him even as she could sense his mind working over the Magnas. _He's fine. I'm in one piece. We lost the bikes, though, so we're on foot. _She tried to figure out their position but was at a loss, wishing for a moment that she had the equipment that the troopers were outfitted with. "Chopper...is your GPS working?"

He tilted his head and replied a moment later, giving her a set of coordinates. "The comlink's still not operational, though," he added with a glance in her direction.

"Thanks." She repeated the coordinates to Stonewall, who seemed uncertain.

_That's...how in the blazes did you get all the way out there? _

She resisted the urge to laugh. _Those bikes can cover quite a bit of ground, you know. Where are you? _

_Half a day away, by the sound of it. _There was a pause, then he added: _Weave thinks he can find you with the scanners on the ship, but we don't want to rile up the unfriendlies any more than necessary. _

Kalinda shook her head. _I don't want to risk it, Stone. Let's just meet somewhere..._

During their surveillance of the planet, they'd noticed a wide river that crossed through the area that held the droid facility; it was apparently the halfway point between their locations. After a few moments of debate, they agreed to meet at the river's edge, as soon as possible. _But I don't want you to rush, especially if you're injured,_Stone replied, his tone firm despite the agitation she felt from him.

_How do you..._

It was his turn to chuckle. _I know you, Kali. I'm just glad you're with someone else, not traipsing about the jungle on your own. Though I bet you tried to get him to leave you, right?_

She held back her indignation. Or tried to. _Traipsing? _

His laughter was still evident, though it was underwritten with his customary worry. _Be careful and stay safe, please. _

Kali sighed and opened her eyes, blinking in the fading sunlight that was filtering in through the trees, and realized that Chopper was staring at her, that his arm was down, and that they had stopped walking. She could sense his question, but decided not to answer. "Everything okay, Chopper?"

There was a moment where he regarded her and she thought that she felt a flicker of understanding from him, but it passed quickly and he nodded. She indicated the direction of the river. "Let's head over there...we should run into the others by tomorrow."

Again, his speculative look – even through the visor it was as if she could discern it – but again he only nodded, as if reluctant to speak anymore. She wondered if she'd done something wrong, but he offered her his forearm once more, and she took it. They continued on.

* * *

><p>They walked well into the night before Chopper noticed that her limp was getting worse. He paused and watched as she faced him. "You need to rest," he said, thinking that she looked as if she would object. He didn't want to say it, but he thought the words would make a difference, so he added: "Captain Stonewall would want me to make sure that you rest, Kalinda."<p>

This had the desired affect, for though she frowned, she nodded and hobbled over to a nearby fallen tree-trunk, sliding down to rest her back against the rounded side and patting the ground beside her. _I should keep watch, _he thought as he stood by. But she shook her head, tapping her temple with solemnity.

"Jedi-senses, Chopper. We'll be okay for a few hours." It wasn't an order, or even a request, but he understood the implication, so folded his legs and sat beside her, glancing up through the canopy, searching for any stars that he might be able to make out through the webbing of branches above their heads. There was a crinkling sound, then he looked down to see half of a ration-bar extended to him. With a swallow, Chopper removed his bucket and set it on the ground beside him before taking the bar.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, listening to the night-creatures who were just beginning their variegated songs. After some time she looked at him, and he realized that she was sitting on his right side, his scars in full view. The knowledge filled him with apprehension until he recalled that it was getting dark and that she probably couldn't see them that well. "May I ask you a question, Chopper?"

_Of course it will be about the scars. How could it be about anything else? _He tensed involuntarily, but nodded. However, given the darkness, he spoke. "Of course, General." Formality returned like a tic, but he couldn't take anything back.

But she seemed unconcerned. "What made you change your mind about coming with us?"

The question should not have surprised him as much as it did, so he had to take a moment to formulate his answer. When it came, it startled him. "Because I knew that you would need me."

The sound of her laughter was bright in the darkness. "You're right about that, I guess." He heard the sound of her head leaning back against the tree, and for several minutes it was quiet; he supposed she was going to sleep and wondered if he'd be able to follow. So it was strange to hear her speak again, the words reaching through to him even in the thick of the night. "I'm glad you did, Chopper. Thanks for coming."

_You're welcome, _he wanted to say, but the words sounded silly even in his mind, so he only nodded. Of course, that felt even sillier, but it was too late, as her head dropped against his shoulder and she was asleep within a moment.

It was some time before he was able to follow her lead.

* * *

><p>When Kali awoke the next morning, her entire body was stiff and sore, and her knee ached fiercely, but she was rested, at least. A glance beside her told her that Chopper was awake; at some point he'd replaced his bucket. If she had to guess, she supposed he was reviewing the vids he'd taken of the Magnas, which had thankfully not found them during the night.<p>

_We're lucky, I suppose, _she thought as she studied the forest. _Perhaps they lost track of us. _However, she knew it would not be so forever, so she cleared her throat and looked at the trooper. "Ready to move out?"

He was on his feet in one fluid motion; she rose as well, but her knee buckled and she nearly collapsed to the ground. But Chopper was quick and caught her arm, helping her stand up. After peeling off the bacta patch he'd placed the previous day, she winced at what little she could make out. _Ouch. No wonder it hurts so kriffing much. _The blistered skin was discolored and swollen, and she wished for a moment that she was a proper Healer. Even after Chopper replaced the patch, her knee ached worse than the day before, and she realized that she could barely walk.

The trooper seemed to catch on as well, but he was – if anything – more uncomfortable with the realization than he'd been when his brothers had made him sit at her table on the _Resolute. _Finally he seemed to gather himself and look at her. "We're not far from the rendezvous point," he said in a careful voice. "You can lean on me as much as you need to."

If it had been Stonewall – or any of her men, she decided – he would have scooped her up without a moment's hesitation, even if they hadn't been romantically involved. But Chopper was not Stonewall. He was unlike any of the clones she'd met. He offered his shoulder – his right one, she noticed, even though he tended to be flinchy about that particular side – and they began to make their slow progress through the forest. Kali hobbled along as best she could and tried not to be irritated at her own body's weakness.

The air was cooler now, tinted gold by the climbing sun, and sprinkled with birdsong; when he spoke it was entirely unexpected. "May I ask you a question, Kalinda?"

_How did you even get to be a Jedi, if you can't even go one mission without blowing out your weak knee? _"Sure."

"Was Crest serious about letting me keep the harmonica?"

Kali bit back the urge to chuckle at the perplexed tone of his voice. "He's serious about very few things, Chopper, but he wouldn't have given it to you if he wanted it back. It's yours now, if you want it."

Something akin to relief edged off of him as he nodded. "I liked it. Thank you."

They didn't talk much for the rest of the journey, not until Kali sensed the others' presences about two hours later; that was when her spine straightened and her attention oriented to Stonewall, as it always did, and she felt her steps pick up. Chopper seemed to understand, and his pace quickened as well. Soon after that she could smell the fresh scent of the river, then hear its burble as it meandered though the forest.

And then she sensed Stonewall's presence in the Force, close. She could almost feel his warmth and found that she was more anxious than she'd realized to be with him again; her steps quickened further, still. Chopper was right along with her.

When she saw him approach she didn't try to hide the leap of joy that she felt at his gaze, and she could tell that he felt much the same way. The two groups met at the river's edge and Kali was aware that Chopper didn't move from her side until she was before Stone, when he took one look at her leg and picked her up, holding her perhaps a bit too close. "Glad to see you're in one piece, General." His bucket was clipped to his belt and he was looking at her with an expression she figured was mirrored in her own eyes.

"As reported, Captain." She couldn't help the grin that crept to her face, which widened once he smiled back.

Crest's throat cleared, causing Kali to look over at the trooper. "Weave and Mi are at the ship," he said, thumbing the appropriate direction. "And we managed to get some good footage of the droids – Trax even snagged one of those staff-things – but we might not want to hang around any longer."

At this, Chopper looked at Traxis. "You got a pike?" The scarred member of Shadow Squad nodded and the other clone seemed pleased.

"It's at the ship," Trax replied. "Like we should be. I've had enough of this kriffing moon to last me a lifetime."

As he held her, Kalinda felt Stonewall's fingertips trace small circles against her arm, the gesture meant to reassure himself as much as her as they began to head out. They reached the ship without incident and soon she was seated at the galley table, leg extended while Weave patched her up. Milo and Traxis were at the helm, Crest and Stone were gathered around her, listening to each other's stories of the previous night.

At the end of the tale, Weave looked at the Jedi, a frown on his face. "You lost _both _bikes?" When she gave him a dark look he shook his head and pressed the hypospray to her neck. "Sorry...it's just...they were brand new. I didn't even get to test..." He trailed off and shook his head again. "Never mind."

"Next time, you get dibs," Kali replied with a sigh. She glanced over; the pike had been stashed in a small alcove of the ship, and Chopper was examining it intently. Stonewall caught her eyes and lifted his brow in a question. In response, Kalinda smiled.

* * *

><p>The journey back passed quickly. Suspiciously quickly, in fact. Chopper found that between examining the pike and his vids, and playing music or sabacc with the rest of the squad, it felt like only a day had passed when it had been several. Additionally, a lot of good footage had been collected, both from him and that the others, and he knew it would keep him busy for some time.<p>

He liked the music-making more than he'd suspected he would, though he knew he was by no means proficient. It was interesting, and he enjoyed the sound of the harmonica when it blended with the other instruments as well as when it was on its own.

But now he understood more than he had before, and was not sure what to do with the knowledge. The captain's attraction to the Jedi was not one-sided as he'd thought, which he realized for certain when he'd felt her pace increase the morning after her injury on Milagro, when she beamed as the officer picked her up – with a familiar ease, as if such a thing happened with regularity – and when she simply looked at the clone. Now it was plain to see, and Chopper wondered if it was because he was getting better at reading women, or because she was a particularly easy one to read.

They returned to the _Resolute _quietly one evening, and before he knew it, he was stepping off of the loading ramp and turning to say goodbye to the members of the squad who each shook his hand and said that they hoped to work with him again. Crest had shared several lurid jokes that he knew Fives would like but wasn't sure if he would repeat. The pike that Traxis had collected was strapped to his armor.

"I don't want to disturb Anakin or Ahsoka, otherwise I'd come with you," Kalinda said as she and the captain stood before him at the edge of the ramp. "Will you tell them 'thank you,' for me?"

Chopper nodded. "Certainly, Kalinda." Her name came out as if on reflex, but it was okay. The Jedi only smiled at him, then – as if on a whim – gave him a hug and a quick kiss against his right cheek, where the scars were at their most tangled.

"Thanks for everything, Chopper," she said, looking into his eyes and nowhere else. "You're more than welcome with us whenever you want a change of scenery." She flashed him a last smile and turned for the ship, leaving him and the captain alone in the empty hangar.

"I told Rex I'd see you back," the officer said. "And I wanted to speak with you in private, as well."

Chopper felt a thrill of apprehension and the place where her lips had touched began to burn. _It's not like that, _he wanted to say. _I know your secret, and hers. But I don't care about it...not in that way. _But he only nodded and they began to walk.

After several minutes of silence, when they were exiting the turbolift, Stonewall glanced at him. "I know what you did for her, Chopper," he said in a quiet voice. "And I wanted to thank you, personally, for keeping her safe when I wasn't there." The captain met and held his gaze, and Chopper's conclusion was strengthened; Stonewall reached forward and shook Chopper's hand. "I'll be sure to let Rex know how much you helped us."

"You're welcome, sir." Chopper met the captain's eyes and felt the current of understanding pass between them. _It isn't any of my concern, but it's a good kind of knowledge to have, _he realized with a flash_. Hopeful. _Somewhere Slick was snickering, but he shrugged it off. _Not all women hate scars, Slick. _His cheek was still pleasantly warm.

Rex met them outside of his office; Chopper watched as the captains greeted one another, then stood quietly by while Stonewall reiterated what he'd just said to Chopper, who noted that the 501st captain's mouth lifted in a faint smile at the news. The three men shook hands, then Stonewall gave Chopper a last nod and walked away.

For a moment Rex only studied Chopper, then nodded to the pike. "Souvenir?"

Chopper's mind went to the little harmonica tucked in his duffel and the warm spot on his cheek where the Jedi had kissed him, then shook his head. "No, sir. Just part of the mission."

But Rex gave him a knowing look. "Right...well, I imagine Skywalker and the commander will want to have a look at it as well." The captain smiled at him. "Good work, by the way. I'm proud of you. And you should be, too." With that, he clapped Chopper's back and they parted ways.

Echo and Fives were just coming off the watch rotation, and were awake as anything. Fives peppered him with questions while Echo examined the harmonica – not blowing into it, but only investigating – and Chopper found that he was glad to be back. After a shower and change, he realized he wasn't tired, so he decided to go over the helmet vids again, but Fives stopped him with a look.

"You know, don't you?"

In response, Chopper tilted his head but said nothing.

Fives gave an exasperated sigh. "About the rumors of General Halcyon and her squad? Surely you saw _something_?"

He'd been expecting this to come up, and had his answer ready. "I saw lots of things, Fives. Just not what you're thinking of." He tried not to smile at the look of disappointment on his bunk-mate's face, and failed.

_But it's okay_, he realized as he settled down with his new 'pad, waiting for the new vids to upload. _It's more than okay. _

_And it's getting better, every day. _

**The End**

* * *

><p><em>I'm always a little sad after a story is done, because I really enjoy sharing them with you guys. Thanks for your support and reviews, everyone! I'm so glad that you enjoyed my "take" on Chopper. :)<em>

_**reulte**: you are awesome. Thanks again for letting me borrow Chopper! (Told you he had fun!) _

_If you're a fan of my work, look for my next story,_ Eye of the Storm: Alchemy_ on Monday, October 17th. It's been a long time coming...yes, it's a plug, but I have no shame. :P_

_In a similar vein, there may be a new-ish "series" starting this weekend. My profile has more info. ;)  
><em>


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